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War of the Rebellion: Serial 118 Page 0364 PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, ETC.

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2. Resistance to further drafts and interference with enlistments.

3. To stop this war.

Signs, grips and passwords were devised and sentinels were posted at each meeting to warn of the approach of any not members. In December the organization assumed new force and significance. The signs, grips and passwords were changed. The obligations became more directly treasonable and the organization assumed military form and purpose. To illustrate:

1. The signs included battle signals for infantry and cavalry; upon giving which a soldier would be treated as a friend by the rebel foe; also five-pointed copper stars, to be worn upon the left breast, to be disclosed upon opening the coast before an enemy if made a prisoner, or if this State should be visited by Confederates. Others of German silver are hung in small frames to protect houses in which they belong.

2. The oath included resistance to confiscation of the goods of the fraternity either North or South; provided night and day signals upon which the order should rally to the defense of a brother member and made the pledge of mutual support significant by extreme penalties in case of disclosure of the nature of the order. The following is the form of oath prescribed for the second degree (and is the same in a large number of counties) from which copies have been procured and is undoubtedly general in its use:

"Do you believe this to be the word of God?" (Hands in the Bible.)

"Do you believe the present war now being waged against us to be unconstitutional?"

"Then receive the obligation. "

I, --- ---, do solemnly swear in the presence of A mighty God that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the State in which I reside, and keep it holy. I further promise and swear that I will go to the aid of all true and loyal Democrats and oppose the confiscation of their property either North or South; and I further promise and swear that I will suffer my body severed in four parts - one part east, out of the East gate; one part as the west gate; one part at the north gate; one part at the south gate - before I will suffer the privileges bequeathed to us by our fore fathers blotted our or trampled under foot forever. I further promise and swear that I will go to the aid from the first to the fourth signal of all loyal Democrats either North or South. I further promise and swear that I will not reveal any of the secret signs, passwords or grips to any not legally authorized by this order, binding myself under no less penalty than having my bowels torn out and cast to the four winds of heaven: So help me God. I promise and swear that I will do all in my power to bring all loyal Democrats in this Circle of Hosts. I further promise and swear that I will do all in my power against the present Yankee abolition, disunion Administration: So help me God.

3. The order has enjoined upon its members thorough arming. The extent of this may be derived from the fact that in February and March alone nearly 30,000 arms, revolvers, &amp;c., have entered Indiana as derived from invoices of sales, and undoubtedly thousands more have been brought from the East of which I have no knowledge. On the day the sale or arms was prohibited at Indianapolis nearly 1,000 revolvers were contracted for and the trade could not supply the demand. Two small establishments at La Fayette, Ind., had each sixty kegs of powder which at other times would last for years. Sixteen boxes came from Lexington, Ky., under disguise of household goods. One box from Cincinnati was marked pick-axes, another hardware, another nails. These are instances which daily occurred until decided action was adopted.

4. The country lodges drill in the steps and facings, and with such muskets and rifles as they have practice the manual.

5. The subjects of discussion are the despotism of the Government; the preponderating power of the North-East in proportion with size;